§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what recent guidelines have been issued to local authorities about the designation and provision of allotment sites; and if he will make a statement; [49001]
(2) what action he proposes to take to protect existing allotment sites; and if he will make a statement; [49003]
(3) what recent representations he has received about the provision of allotments; and if he will make a statement; [49005]
(4) what advice his Department gives to local authorities on the subject of the sale of allotment sites; and if he will make a statement; [49007]
(5) what recent discussions he has held with COSLA on the drawing up of a best practice regime for allotments and its implementation by local authorities as 66W recommended in the Fifth report of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee (HC560-I); and if he will make a statement; [49131]
(6) what plans he has to modify the legislation governing (a) the provision of allotment sites and (b) the rights of allotment holders; and if he will make a statement; [49002]
(7) what recent discussions he has had with representatives of COSLA about the annual publication of local authority allotments provision; and if he will make a statement; [49004]
(8) what recent representations he has received about the sale by local authorities of allotment sites; and if he will make a statement; [49006]
(9) if he will make a statement on the recommendation in paragraph 5 of the Fifth report of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee, (HC560-I); [49130]
(10) what plans he has to collate the information on allotment provision held at local authority level in order to establish and maintain a data base on such provision; and if he will make a statement. [49161]
§ Mr. MacdonaldIn Scotland, decisions on the provision of allotment sites are a matter for local authorities. The Scottish Office has issued no recent guidelines and Ministers have had no recent discussions with COSLA on the subject. The Scottish Office has received three representations within the past year about the protection of allotment sites: two about the Dalmuir plots in Clydebank, and one about the Craigentinny plots in Edinburgh.
The Government are considering the recommendations contained in the Fifth Report of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee, and will publish a response in due course.